BATMAN (1939)

 Bob Kane was a big fan of the 1926 movie The Bat -which featured a villain Awho wore an awesome batlike costume.@ He also liked to read Sherlock Holmes mysteries. In 1939, he combined the two and came up with Batman.

Thirty-eight comic book episodes later, Kane decided to give Batman a sidekick -one that he conceived as Aa laughing, fighting young daredevil who scoffs at danger like the legendary Robin Hood.@ Both the name and the costume were adaptions of the legendary English hero, but Kane modelled the action out of his youthful fantasies: AIn my subconscious mind I longed to be like Robin When I was his age, fighting alongside his idol Batman -or, in my case Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. [who played Zorro].@

The Penguin was inspired by a Kool Cigarette ad, and Two-face was inspired by the 1932 film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. Catwoman was based on screen siren Jean Harlow, and the Joker was inspired by a photograph of actor Conrad Veidt from a 1928 movie, The Man who Laughs.

 

QUESTIONS

 

1. Find words or expressions in the text that have the same or similar meaning to: (2 points)

Dress:

Together with:

Based on:

Picture:

Film:

 

2. Answer the following questions according to the text (1.5 points)

a. What issue introduced Robin?

b. What is Batman based on?

c. Why did Kane include Robin in the comic?

 

3. Choose the correct modal verbs. (1.5 points)

a. I might/can pass the exam. I=m not sure.